Variety is debuting the trailer (above) for Ivana Gloria’s feature debut “Chlorophyll” (Clorofilla), which will receive its international premiere Wednesday as part of the Proxima Competition at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
The film starts with a young girl, Maia, dashing through the undergrowth in a moonlit wood, her heart racing in sync with the rhythm of the natural world. The night air is thick with anticipation as she seeks refuge within the arms of nature.
Now grown into a woman, Maia feels an inexplicable attraction toward the trees, flowers, and the very essence of the natural world. Teo, a shy young man with secrets hidden in his greenhouse, becomes her companion. Together, Maia and Teo navigate the transition from human form to becoming one with nature — an understanding forged through friendship, attraction, and a love that transcends both flesh and foliage.
The film was written by Marco Borromei, and stars Sarah Short and Michele Ragno. It was lensed by Giuseppe Chessa. Gloria, Salvioli, Short and Ragno will attend the Karlovy Vary premiere.
Gloria is a Rome-based director, cinematographer, animator and storyboard artist. Her 2022 short “Con il piede giusto” won multiple awards, including at the 48 Hour Film Project in Film Palooza in Los Angeles.
The film’s main producer is Cinzia Salvioli, founder of Albedo Production, an independent production company with a focus on creating compelling, author-driven works for both Italian and international audiences. Albedo Production’s inaugural project was a film adaptation of Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Gianni Schicchi,” which premiered at the 2021 Torino Film Festival and was subsequently broadcast on Rai Uno.